Chamber counts its blessings as Easter dawns in Blue Ridge

Monday

Apr 1, 2013 at 8:18 AM

Chuck EdwardsChamber

As today hopefully dawns on a glorious Easter morning, the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce would like to share some of the many blessings that we are thankful for. Since we are fortunate to live and work in such an amazing community, we really only have the space to share a few of the wonders that have made it to the top of our list.Even through challenging economic times, the Chamber is thankful to have a supportive membership that provides the resources needed to meet our goals. I am fortunate to be the chairman of a committed Board of Directors that is working hard to fulfill a Program of Work that will, hopefully, meet the needs of that supportive membership. One really only needs to look out the window to see what a beautiful area we reside in. We are so fortunate to live in the "City of Four Seasons." Because of the care that the business community and the community-at-large have for Henderson County, we are able to maintain our small-town feel, yet enjoy many big city amenities. A few of these are the multiple unique restaurants scattered throughout our county, Flat Rock Playhouse, the final residence of Carl Sandburg and home to his wife's prize-winning goats, and art galleries such as Wickwire and Silver Fox on our tree-lined Main Street.As we begin approaching summer, Henderson County's mild climate means perfect weather for outdoor recreation. There are 15 parks/recreation centers in the county, with plenty of room for a picnic, bike ride, softball game, round of tennis or just a tranquil afternoon of reading beneath the shade of a hickory tree.Western North Carolina is fortunate to have one of the highest concentrations of residential summer camps in the U.S. There are approximately 55 camps in the four-county area of Henderson, Buncombe, Transylvania and Jackson. Almost a third of those are in Henderson County.In addition to providing a huge economic impact to our area ($365 million), camps also protect the beautiful and rugged terrain of the Blue Ridge Escarpment. Camps support the county's land-use planning, and many of them occupy large blocks of green space just being used for recreational purposes. Camps help preserve thousands of acres for future generations.Henderson County is blessed with strong academic programs and resources, both private and public. Blue Ridge Community College continually ranks among the highest in the state and nation in providing students with top-notch opportunities. For the 2012-13 academic year, BRCC offers 35 associate degree programs, 24 diploma programs, 45 certificate programs, and seven articulated programs. Students successfully graduating from BRCC are eligible to transfer into any of North Carolina's 18 public colleges and universities. Wingate University Hendersonville is wrapping up the second year of its School of Pharmacy and MBA programs. Beginning in August, Wingate will host the first Physician Assistant Program at its Hendersonville campus.We are thankful to be protected by an elite group of law enforcement personnel. With the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, the Hendersonville Police Department, the Fletcher Police Department and the Laurel Park Police Department, we have more than 100 sworn officers protecting our community.So, as you can see, we have a lot of blessings to be thankful for on this Easter Sunday. The Chamber is here to help maintain these wonderful assets. We strive to be of service to local business and industry, to be a community resource, an information source and a link for our area. Stop by our office at 204 Kanuga Road, or call us at 828-692-1413 to see what we can offer you and your business.

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